Almost four out of 10 Koreans in their 80s are sexually active, according to research released by the Korea Consumer Agency on Friday. The figure is a fourfold increase compared to a decade ago.

The research, involving 500 people ― 377 men and 123 women ― aged over 60, showed that 36.8 percent of the elderly aged between 80 and 84 enjoy sex. Among those aged between 75 and 79, 58.4 percent answered that they have sex; between 70 and 74, 61.9 percent; between 65 and 69, 69.4 percent; and between 60 and 64, 84.6 percent.

The average percentage of those sexually active after 60 years of age was 62.4 percent.

Ten years ago, 10 percent of the elderly aged over 80 and only about 30 to 40 percent of those over 60 answered that they were sexually active.